I had the opportunity to be interviewed by Harry Smith of MSNBC as a part of a segment for “Sunday Night with Megyn Kelly” that aired on July 23, 2017, which featured Chicago Cubs Manager Joe Maddon and the Hazleton Integration Project (HIP).

In my interview, I talked to MSNBC about the experience of being raised in Hazleton and returning after graduating college. As a Mexican-American, second-generation female, I struggled to integrate all the facets of my identity. Upon joining the staff at HIP, I discovered a space that allowed me to develop a more cohesive sense of self.

As a graduate student in the Clinical Mental Health Counseling program at The University of Scranton, I aspire to develop into a professional that promotes the empowerment and growth of individuals, especially those who have struggled with their identity as I did. My hope is that others can find the people and places that can help them discover and embrace who they are.